At its commencement, Eni offered the Government of Nigeria the option of participating in its Nigerian operations in the event of a commercial discovery. It was the first International Oil and Gas company operating in Nigeria to do so. This option was subsequently exercised by the Federal Government in 1973, setting the stage for the current Joint Venture (JV) arrangement in the industry.
The activities of Eni in Nigeria have grown over the years. This has led to its establishment of 2 other subsidiaries in the country, namely Agip Energy and Natural Resources (AENR), in 1980, and Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE), in 1996, to concentrate on the company’s activities in the shallow water and deep offshore areas respectively.

In addition to its activities in the Upstream sector, Eni has also made critical investments in Nigeria’s Gas and Power sectors, with equity participations in both Nigerian LNG Limited (10.4%) and Brass LNG Limited (20.8%). Eni has the distinction of being the first International Oil and Gas company operating in Nigeria to invest in an Independent Power Plant - the Okpai IPP.
With investments like these, Eni continues to demonstrate its commitment to the socio-economic development of Nigeria. It is a commitment that is evident in the company’s robust social investments, supporting education, health, access to power, capacity building and infrastructural development in hundreds of communities across the country. The company’s Green River Project – an innovative and ground-breaking project promoting food security in the Niger Delta – in particular retains a pride of place in the company’s CSR portfolio.